IN ANOTHER exciting day of competition at the 2011 Special Olympics summer games in Athens, Team Ireland’s winning streak continued with 10 medal wins yesterday.
In a truly amazing feat given his 12 years, swimmer Fergal Gregory, from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, the youngest athlete on Team Ireland, won a gold medal in the 25 metres butterfly. There were two shot-put silvers – in the men’s competition by Martin Mahood, from Bangor, Co Down, and in the women’s by Ciara O’Loughlin from Inagh, Co Clare.
In the softball throw, Amy Quinn of Bray, Co Wicklow, took silver in the women’s while John McKiernan from Bawnboy, Co Cavan, won bronze. Portmarnock man Gary O’Brien secured silver in the men’s 400 metres event.
Conor Mac Gearailt, from Athy, Co Kildare, won a bronze in the English equitation event. On the bocce courts, Lisa Maher, from Waterfall, near Cork, won bronze while Mary McDermott, from Swinford, Co Mayo, took a silver.